Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1504.08303 · Physical Review A

Telecom-heralded single-photon absorption by a single atom

Andreas Lenhard, Matthias Bock, Christoph Becher, Stephan Kucera, José Luis Saquinaula Brito, Pascal Eich, Philipp Müller, Jürgen Eschner

Published Dec 16, 2015• 36 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We present, characterize, and apply the architecture of a photonic quantum interface between the near infrared and telecom spectral regions. A singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) operated below threshold, in combination with external filters, generates high-rate ($>2.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{0.222222em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) narrowband photon pairs ($\ensuremath{\sim}7$ MHz bandwidth); the signal photons are tuned to resonance with an atomic transition in ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}$, while the idler photons are at telecom wavelength. Interface operation is demonstrated through high-rate absorption of single photons by a single trapped ion ($\ensuremath{\sim}670\phantom{\rule{0.222222em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$), heralded by coincident telecom photons.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.92.063827

Related papers

Frequency tuning of single photons from a whispering-gallery mode resonator to MHz-wide transitions

Gerhard Schunk, Ulrich Vogl, Florian Sedlmeir +6 more

Quantum repeaters rely on an interfacing of flying qubits with quantum memories. The most common implementations include a narrowband single photon matched in bandwidth and central frequency to an atomic system. Previously, we demonstrated the compatibility of our versatile source of heralded single photons, which is based on parametric down-conversion in a triply-resonant whispering-gallery mode resonator, with alkaline transitions [Schunk et al., Optica 2, 773 (2015)]. In this paper, we analyze our source in terms of phase matching, available wavelength-tuning mechanisms, and applications to narrow-band atomic systems. We resonantly address the D1 transitions of cesium and rubidium with this optical parametric oscillator pumped above its oscillation threshold. Below threshold, the efficient coupling of single photons to atomic transitions heralded by single telecom-band photons is demonstrated. Finally, we present an accurate analytical description of our observations. Providing the demonstrated flexibility in connecting various atomic transitions with telecom wavelengths, we show a promising approach to realize an essential building block for quantum repeaters.

arXiv:1510.01198•Journal of Modern Optics•Mar 2, 2016•18 citations

Photon Pairs from Cavity-Enhanced Parametric Down-Conversion with Tunable Bandwidth for Quantum Interfaces

Lars Koch, Andreas Ahlrichs, Martin Kernbach +1 more

Photons as flying qubits are ideal carriers of quantum information. However, efficient quantum interfaces which transfer flying into stationary qubits and vice versa are needed to realize complex quantum networks. Stationary qubit systems (atoms, ions, or solid state implementations) couple to photons via characteristic optical transitions. In order to establish key quantum operations, such as coherent photon storage, entanglement swapping, etc., high-quality photons with a tailored spectral, spatial, and temporal mode are needed. One way to generate these photons is to use the stationary qubit systems themselves. Another approach which does not impose limitations in terms of the photon’s wavelength or bandwidth relies on all-optical single photon sources. An example is spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) inside an optical cavity with well-defined linewidth. In SPDC, a pump photon incident on a nonlinear medium is split into two photons of lower energy that are often referred to as signal and idler. Resonating the fluorescent fields, the setup becomes an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) far below the threshold. The usually THz broad emission spectrum of SPDC then follows the Airy function of the resonator. The spectral bandwidth of the generated photons can easily reach values of several MHz, which is comparable to atom resonance linewidths. By introducing additional losses or simply changing the cavity mirror reflectivities the bandwidth is tunable up to several 100 MHz. This is comparable to the bandwidth of single photons generated by e.g. quantum dots.

Research in Optical Sciences•Jan 1, 2012•0 citations

Efficient interfacing of GHz and MHz bandwidth single-photon pulses

Filip Sośnicki, Michał Mikołajczyk, Ali Golestani +2 more

We experimentally demonstrate efficient reduction of heralded telecom single-photon spectral bandwidth by a factor exceeding 220, from 130 GHz to below 550 MHz. The transformation is achieved in an all-fiber setup using dispersive stretching and complex electro-optic phase modulation. The approach is deterministic and results in a 27-fold increase in photon detection probability at the target wavelength. Combined with system transmission of 40% the interface enables increasing the single-photon flux into a spectrally narrowband absorber by a factor of 11. Our approach may enable efficient interfacing matter-based quantum systems with high-rate quantum communication channels and pulsed entangled photon pair sources.

Quantum Computing, Communication, and Simulation•Mar 9, 2022•0 citations

Cavity-enhanced narrow bandwidth photon pairs generation at the telecom wavelength with a triple resonance configuration

Zhi‐Yuan Zhou, Dong-Sheng Ding, Yan Li +3 more

In this paper, we present a narrow bandwidth source at the telecom wavelength based on type II PPKTP crystal inside an optical cavity. Simultaneous resonances of the pump and the two down-converted fields are achieved by special design of the cavity. This is a triple resonances optical parametric oscillator (OPO) far below threshold, which generates photon pairs at around 1560 nm with a bandwidth of 8 MHz. A coherence time of 27.7 ns is estimate by a time correlation measurement, and the estimated photon pairs generating rate is 134 s-1MHz-1mW-1. As entangled photon pairs in the telecom regime is suitable for long distance transmission and manipulation, this source is desirable for the demands of quantum communication.

arXiv:1208.1638•Aug 8, 2012•0 citations

Bridging visible and telecom wavelengths with a single-mode broadband photon pair source

Christoph Söller, Benjamin Brecht, Peter J. Mosley +5 more

We present a spectrally decorrelated photon pair source bridging the visible and telecom wavelength regions. Tailored design and fabrication of a solid-core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) lead to the emission of signal and idler photons into only a single spectral and spatial mode. Thus no narrowband filtering is necessary and the heralded generation of pure photon number states in ultrafast wave packets at telecom wavelengths becomes possible.

arXiv:0908.2932•Physical Review A•Mar 10, 2010•81 citations

Double-heralded single-photon absorption by a single atom

José Luis Saquinaula Brito, Stephan Kucera, Pascal Eich +5 more

We present a single-photon to single-atom interface, where a heralded single photon generated by Spontaneous Parametric Conversion is absorbed by a single trapped ion, subsequently generating a single Raman-scattered photon that heralds the absorption event.

•Jan 1, 2014•0 citations
We present, characterize, and apply the architecture of a photonic quantum interface between the near infrared and telecom spectral regions. A singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) operated below threshold, in combination with external filters, generates high-rate (>2.5\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi106s\ensuremath−1>2.5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{0.222222em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}>2.5\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi106s\ensuremath−1) narrowband photon pairs (\ensuremath∼7\ensuremath{\sim}7\ensuremath∼7 MHz bandwidth); the signal photons are tuned to resonance with an atomic transition in Ca+{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}Ca+, while the idler photons are at telecom wavelength. Interface operation is demonstrated through high-rate absorption of single photons by a single trapped ion (\ensuremath∼670s\ensuremath−1\ensuremath{\sim}670\phantom{\rule{0.222222em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath∼670s\ensuremath−1), heralded by coincident telecom photons.
Quantum repeaters rely on an interfacing of flying qubits with quantum memories. The most common implementations include a narrowband single photon matched in bandwidth and central frequency to an atomic system. Previously, we demonstrated the compatibility of our versatile source of heralded single photons, which is based on parametric down-conversion in a triply-resonant whispering-gallery mode resonator, with alkaline transitions [Schunk et al., Optica 2, 773 (2015)]. In this paper, we analyze our source in terms of phase matching, available wavelength-tuning mechanisms, and applications to narrow-band atomic systems. We resonantly address the D1 transitions of cesium and rubidium with this optical parametric oscillator pumped above its oscillation threshold. Below threshold, the efficient coupling of single photons to atomic transitions heralded by single telecom-band photons is demonstrated. Finally, we present an accurate analytical description of our observations. Providing the demonstrated flexibility in connecting various atomic transitions with telecom wavelengths, we show a promising approach to realize an essential building block for quantum repeaters.
Photons as flying qubits are ideal carriers of quantum information. However, efficient quantum interfaces which transfer flying into stationary qubits and vice versa are needed to realize complex quantum networks. Stationary qubit systems (atoms, ions, or solid state implementations) couple to photons via characteristic optical transitions. In order to establish key quantum operations, such as coherent photon storage, entanglement swapping, etc., high-quality photons with a tailored spectral, spatial, and temporal mode are needed. One way to generate these photons is to use the stationary qubit systems themselves. Another approach which does not impose limitations in terms of the photon’s wavelength or bandwidth relies on all-optical single photon sources. An example is spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) inside an optical cavity with well-defined linewidth. In SPDC, a pump photon incident on a nonlinear medium is split into two photons of lower energy that are often referred to as signal and idler. Resonating the fluorescent fields, the setup becomes an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) far below the threshold. The usually THz broad emission spectrum of SPDC then follows the Airy function of the resonator. The spectral bandwidth of the generated photons can easily reach values of several MHz, which is comparable to atom resonance linewidths. By introducing additional losses or simply changing the cavity mirror reflectivities the bandwidth is tunable up to several 100 MHz. This is comparable to the bandwidth of single photons generated by e.g. quantum dots.
We experimentally demonstrate efficient reduction of heralded telecom single-photon spectral bandwidth by a factor exceeding 220, from 130 GHz to below 550 MHz. The transformation is achieved in an all-fiber setup using dispersive stretching and complex electro-optic phase modulation. The approach is deterministic and results in a 27-fold increase in photon detection probability at the target wavelength. Combined with system transmission of 40% the interface enables increasing the single-photon flux into a spectrally narrowband absorber by a factor of 11. Our approach may enable efficient interfacing matter-based quantum systems with high-rate quantum communication channels and pulsed entangled photon pair sources.
In this paper, we present a narrow bandwidth source at the telecom wavelength based on type II PPKTP crystal inside an optical cavity. Simultaneous resonances of the pump and the two down-converted fields are achieved by special design of the cavity. This is a triple resonances optical parametric oscillator (OPO) far below threshold, which generates photon pairs at around 1560 nm with a bandwidth of 8 MHz. A coherence time of 27.7 ns is estimate by a time correlation measurement, and the estimated photon pairs generating rate is 134 s-1MHz-1mW-1. As entangled photon pairs in the telecom regime is suitable for long distance transmission and manipulation, this source is desirable for the demands of quantum communication.